Cuff link



June 13, 1961 P. A. BAST ETAL CUFF LINK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10,1958 INVENTORS PaezZA. Bast BY [11' 6azie2:

WXM

United States Patent 2,987,791 CUFF LINK Paul A. Bast and Eli Sutker,both of 32 N. State St.,

Chicago, Ill. Filed Nov. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 773,028 1 Claim. (CI. 24-97)The invention is more particularly concerned with a cuff link of thecharacter embodying a cufi hole traversing shank having a fixed head onone end thereof and a head pivotally connected to the opposite end andadapted to be passed through aligned holes in the cuif.

While various forms of cuff links of the above noted general characterhave heretofore been constructed and proposed, they have failed tofulfill the maximum requirements of cufif links of the general characterabove referred to.

Cali links of the above noted general character as heretofore proposedor constructed have embodied yieldable means for retaining the pivotallyconnected head in general parallelism with the shank for entry throughaligned cufi holes and the pivoted head being capable of restoration toan operative position upon relative light pressure on the pivoted headas to overcome the said yieldable means.

While such forms of cuff links have been generally satisfactory,difiiculty has been experienced in holding the pivoted head againstmovement to its normal position when being entered through aligned cuffholes.

It is accordingly, a primary object of this invention to provide a cuiflink which embodies structural features whereby the above notedobjection is overcome.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cult link whichin consideration of the above structural features, embodies relativelyfew simple cooperating elements which are so correlated as not to becomeinoperative.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent in the course of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a View in side elevation disclosing the several structuralelements embodied in the improved cuff link in accordance with a firststructural embodiment thereof.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the pivoted head with the shank shown intransverse section.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the pivoted head.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the cuff link with a portion of thepivoted head being broken away and in section and wherein a lockinglatch embodied in the structure and the shank and fixed head are shownin inoperative position in dotted lines.

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 with the pivoted head in aposition for entry through aligned cuif holes.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of pivotedhead.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the head shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view as observed in theplanes of broken line 88 on FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 8 but wherein adjustment has beenmade to hold the said pivoted head against pivoting action.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 to 5thereof, the cufi link in accordance with the first embodiment thereofcomprises a shank 10 whose one end is fixed centrally of the bottom of ahead 11 which may be of any attractive form and the other end of theshank is disposed between a pair of ears 12 projecting inwardly fromopposite sides of a head 13 and which ears are pivoted to the shank 10by means of a pin 14.

The head 13 is provided with a recess 15 and is also provided with anopening 16 for a purpose later to appear.

the spring 18 is normally substantially flush with the said plane bottomwall, as is clearly indicated in vFIG. 5.

As is indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pivotal axis between the shank 10and the head 13 is spaced equidistantly from the square free end of theshank, the opposite side edges of the shank and the inner face ofthespring whereby upon parallelism of head 13 with the'head'11,

the end of the shank bears uniformly on the spring as is indicated inFIG. 4. Furthermore, upon movement of the shank about the pin 14 to thecuff hole inserting posi tion of FIG. 5, an edge of the shank 10 bearsuniformly on the spring 18.

The invention includes means for retaining the relative positions of theshank 10 and the head 13 as in FIGS. 4 and 5 and such means comprises alocking arm 19 which is of generally L-shape including an abutmentportion 20 and a manipulating handle portion 21.

The locking arm is normally disposed as indicated in solid lines inFIGS. 4 and 5 wherein same is pivoted to the head 13 by a pin 22disposed within the opening 16 with the abutment portion 20 engaged withthe spring 18 to resist movement thereof from its normal flat positionto the inwardly bowed position indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 4 andin this normal position of the locking arm the handle portion 21 isseated in a recess 23 in the outer wall of the head 13 and said lockingarm is preferably provided with a finger nail engageable extension 24for facilitating withdrawal of the locking arm 19 from the recess 23.

At this point it is to be particularly observed that the axis of thepivot pin 22 is disposed off center of the abutment portion 29 wherebythe locking arm may readily be swung to the dotted line positions inFIGS. 4 and 5.

The cufi link is indicated in full lines in FIG. 4 with the cooperatingelements thereof in their normal wearing positions and wherein thepivoted head 13 is incapable of swinging about the pivot pin 14.

When, however, it is desired to install or remove the cuff link, thelocking arm 19 is swung to the dotted positions of FIGS. 4 and 5 therebyfreeing the spring 18 for flexing within the recess 15 as indicated inFIG. 4 with the result that pivotal action between the heads 11 and 13is capable of being performed and the shank may then be placed in theposition in FIG. 5 with one edge thereof engaged with the normally fiatspring 18 and in which position the head 13 may readily be threadedthrough aligned holes in a cuff.

With the shank 10 in the position of either FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, thelocking arm 19 is swung to the solid line position.

The modified embodiment of the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 6 to 9operates on the same general principle as that above described inconnection with FIGS. 1 to 5, but is substantially different instructure.

Referring now in detail to the modified form of 011.5 link illustratedin FIGS. 6 to 9, the pivoted head only is disclosed and is designated as30.

The head 30 is provided with a recess 31 and at one end of the recess isa shoulder 32 on which one end of a leaf spring 33 rests insubstantially flush relation to the inner wall of the head.

The opposite end of the spring 33 is frictionally engaged with a wall ofthe recess 31 and is normally dis- Patented June 13, 1 961 3 posednearer the bottom of the recess than the first named end thereof.

The shank 34, indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 6, is pivoted betweenears 35 projecting inwardly of the head and the squared end 34 of theshank in the position in FIG. 6 is capable of rotation about its pivotalconnection whereby the head 30 may be swung into substantial parallelrelation with the shank for threading the head through aligned holes ina cufl.

' Rotatably supported within the head is a shaft 36 which is providedwith a square cam 37 whose corners are disposed further from the axis ofthe shaft 36 than are the sides, upon one of which an end of the spring33 rests as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8.

.A finger grip 38 is suitably secured to one end of the shaft 36forimparting rotation thereto.

As is indicated in FIG. 9, the shaft 36 and cam 37 have been rotatedthrough an angle of 45 whereby a corner 39 thereof engages the spring 33and elevates same to a position indicated by the dot-and-dash line inFIG. 6 and as also shown in FIG. 9 whereby the squared end of the'shaft34 is firmly seated on the spring and thereby retained in right angularrelation to the head 30.

Having set forth the invention in accordance with certain structuralembodiments thereof, what is claimed and desired to be secured by US.Letters Patent is:

A culf link comprising a shank having a squared end, a

head pivotally connected to said end of the shank, said head beingprovided with a recess, an elongated spring plate spanning said recessand having one end thereof supported on said head and the other endthereof freely engaging a wall of the recess, a shaft rotatablysupported in the head, and a cam rigid with the shaft and'being operableupon rotation of the shaft for moving said spring plate into engagementwith said squared head to prevent relative rotation of the shank and thehead, said cam being disposed adjacent the other end of the springplate, and comprising a member of square configuration transversely ofthe shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

